Across the Canterbury region, clubs are realising the power of sport to influence positive change and a healthy future for our mātātahi.

“Our Rugby League community is exploring how to support young people, and to provide a healthy sporting environment where wellbeing and mental health are just part of the conversation.”

“The wellbeing of the community is key, and sports clubs are stepping up to show the role they can play.”

According to George Lajpold of Canterbury Rugby League, sports clubs can support the development of good people first. Good players, as well as good families and communities, grow from there.

"How you are doing emotionally needs to be a normal conversation rather than something that’s frowned upon. And the older you get, the harder it is. That’s the motivation for starting with our young people.”

In New Zealand mental health issues are on the rise, especially amongst young men. With long-term consequences for our communities and mātātahi.

Over the past decade, demand for specialist mental health and addiction services in New Zealand has risen from 2.3 per cent of the population to 3.6 per cent. Suicide statistics are also rising. Source: https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/suicide-facts-2016-data-provisional

The true number of Kiwis who make contact with the wider mental health sector is estimated to be one in five each year.

In partnership, Southern Zone, Canterbury Rugby League, Innovation Unit, Health Promotion Agency, Ministry of Social Development, Le Va and Healthy Families Ōtautahi  Christchurch are working with sports clubs to develop their own solutions.

Healthy Families Ōtautahi Christchurch has played an advisory role within the steering group of this co-design project, bringing insights from our wider Sport Canterbury team, to shed more light on the unique opportunity sports clubs have, to help create positive environments that support the wellbeing of communities.

At the heart of the team developing these solutions are young people and trusted adults from rugby league clubs in Canterbury.

This month, as part of the city’s annual Pacific Series at Hoon Hay Park, two of the ideas being developed by the co-design team, have been tested with the wider rugby league community.  

At Hoon Hay Park, spectators had access to an on-the-park hub, where players and supporters could connect with others passionate about supporting young people, have a chat about how we can support each other’s wellbeing and access resources.  Alongside this, a team of “Wellbeing Superheroes” from the local Rugby League community were available to be a listening ear to anyone who needed to talk.

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